Automatic door-closer.



E. W. GROGAN.

AUTOMATIC noon CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 8, 1912.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

8mm 2. WGrggan COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WA5HING1ON, D. c.

Patented Mar. 31

Elt Grada'n.

EDWARD W. GROGAN, OF BYERS, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC DOOR-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application filed March 8, 1912. Serial No. 682,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. GROGAN, citizen of the United States,residing at Byers, in the county of Clay and State of TeXas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Door-Closers,of which the following is a specification. q

This invention relates to improvements in automatic door closers, andhas for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construotion andincrease the eiiiciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice which may be applied to doors of various sizes such as theordinary door, screen doors, or the like, whereby the door may be causedto close without slamming or jarring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice which may be readily adjusted to increase or decrease the tensionand thus control the movement of the door and adapt the device to doorsof different sizes and weights.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice of this character which may be applied to a right or left handdoor by simply reversing the parts and without altering any of theparts.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereafter shown and described, andthen specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawingsillustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is afront elevation of the improved device applied including a portion of adoor casing, frame, and the upper portion of a screen door; Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan view from beneath, partly in section, of the improveddevice applied; Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the detachablecovers; Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6is a perspective view of a modified form of a portion of the device.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters. v

The improved device comprises two general portions, a portion adapted tobe at tached to the door and another portion adapted to be attached tothe jamb or frame. The portion which is attached to the jamb or frame ofthe door comprises a casing or frame represented as a whole at 10 formedwith longitudinal compartments 11 and 12 spaced apart and divided by anintermediate dividing member 13 with. guide ribs 14 to receive a covermember 15. The cover is detachably secured upon the casing or frame by ascrew or other suitable fastening device 16. The cover 15 is removablefrom one end only of the frame and the latter is provided with a stoplip 17 to limit the movement of the cover in one direction.

Extending transversely of the casing 10 near one end is a partition 18,the dividing member 13 terminating at the partition as shown. The casing10 together with its dividing member 13, partition 18, and guide lips14, will preferably be cast in one single piece, while the cover member15 will likewise be cast in one piece and slidably engaged with thecasing. Located respectively within the compartments 11-12 are springs1920, the springs preferably being of the coiled form and providedrespectively with pull rods 2122. The pull rod 21 is provided at theinner end with adjusting nuts 23, while the pull rod 22 is provided atits inner end with similar adjusting nuts 24. Pivoted at 25 in thecasing 10, is a lever arm 26, the lever arm being divided or forked atthe inner end and coupled respectively by links 2728 to the rods 2122.The springs 19-20 bear at one end against the partition 18 so that asthe lever arm 26 is oscillated upon its pivot 25, the springs will bealter nately compressed. Thus when the lever arm is moved in onedirection the spring 19 will be compressed and when the lever arm ismoved in the opposite direction the spring 20 will be compressed, theobject to be hereafter explained.

Segmental plates 30 are united at 29 and each provided with a pluralityof apertures 31 concentric to the plate uniting bolt 29, as shown. Atits outer end the lever arm 26 is formed with a disk 32 having aplurality of circularly arranged apertures 33 one of which is adapted tobe connected by a pin or other fastening device 34 to one of theapertures 31 of the segmental plate.

The door frame or j amb is indicated conventionally at 55, while thedoor is indicated conventionally at 35.

Attached to the door 35 preferably opposite the casing 10 when the dooris closed, is another casing represented as a whole at 36, and having atransverse stop partition 37, and located within the casing 36 andbearing against the partition, is another spring 38 through which a pullrod 39 extends, and is provided with an adjusting nut 40 at its innerend. Pivoted at 41 in the casing 36, is a lever arm 42 having an offset43 to receive the pivot 41 and connected by a link 44 to the rod 39. Bythis means it will be obvious that the force of the spring 38 operatesto maintain the lever arm 42 in withdrawn position. At its outer end thelever arm 42 is adjustably connected to an outer member 45 having a disk46 at its outer end provided with a plurality of circularly arrangedapertures 47 with one of which a pin 48, which extends through thesegmental plate 30, engages. The member 45 is provided with guideways 49in which the outer end of the lever 42 is slidably engaged. The lever 42is provided with a plurality of apertures 50 with which a pin 51, whichextends through the member 45,'engages one at a time to adjustablycouple the members 42 and 45. The lever arm 26 is provided with aplurality of apertures 52 with one of which a spring 53 is connected atone end, while the opposite end of the spring is connectedto a pin 54 inthe segmental plate 30. The spring 53 thus exerts its force to hold thelever 26 yieldably coupled to the segmental plate, and thus serves toretard the closing action and prevent the door closing too quickly, andthus acts as a governor to the improved device, as will be obvious. Ifthe door closes too quickly the spring 53 is hooked back in one of theholes 52 of the lever 26 to increase its tension, or if the door closestoo slowly the tension of the spring 53 may be reduced by hooking itforwardly in one of the holes 52. The spring 53 may thus be-adjusted tocontrol the movement or action of the levers and prevent them fromoperating loosely at certain points.

WVith the device thus, constructed it will be obvious that the spring 19exerts its force to hold the door yieldably closed, and when the door isopened, the spring 38 pulls directly against the spring 20, while at thesame time the rod 21 moving inwardly, relaxes the spring 19, and thenwhen the door is released the springs 20 and 38 coact to close the doorand at the same time the rod 21 is drawn outwardly and just before thedoor closes, the spring 19 begins to compress and thus checks theclosing of the door and prevents slamming or jarring. As before noted,all of the springs are adjustable to control the tension through themedium of the adjusting nuts 23-24 and 40, so that the exact degree oftension can be applied to the springs to cause them to effectually coactto produce the desired results. The ability to adjust the springs alsoenables the device to be readily adapted to doors of a different sizesand weights and to cause the device to operate at any speed required. Byproviding a plurality of the apertures 52 the tension of the governorspring 53 may like wise be controlled, and by providing a plu-" ralityof apertures 3133 and 47 in the segmental plate and in the levers, thelatter may likewise be adjusted to any required extent. Again byproviding the member 42 with a plurality of apertures for the pin 51,the lever 42 may be adjusted to correspond to the tensign of the spring38. The spring 20 will be maintained at a relatively strong tension,while the spring 19 is maintained sufliciently slack to become operativeat the proper moment to check the closing movement and prevent slammingor jarring so that the door closes with ease and without noise. Thespring 53 also operates to assist in the slow closing of the door, andacts as a governor to the movements of the levers. If the door closestoo quickly, the governor spring 53 will be adjusted in the holes in thelever 26 to tighten this spring slightly so as to impart the propertension according to the weight of the door.

To reverse the closing mechanism from a left hand to a right openingdoor, or vice versa, it is only necessary to simply reverse the positionof the casing 10 to the left or i right hand edge of the door as thecase may be and likewise transpose the tension of the springs, orarrange the spring 19 so that it operates as the closing spring whilethe spring 20 is loosened or slacked off and caused to operate as thechecking spring.

The lever 26 may be detached from the pivots 25 and 34 and reversed inposition together with the springs 1920 which will produce the sameeffect when the casing 10 is changed from a left to a right hand door,or vice versa as above described, instead of transposing the tension ofthe springs.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensivelymanufactured and applied without structural change either in the door orin the frame or jamb and likewise adapted without structural change todoors of varying sizes by simply adjusting the tension of the varioussprings and the pivotal points of the levers.

It will be obvious that the leverage may be also adjusted to the size orweight of the door by changing the position of the pivots. 34 and 48relative to the apertures 31 and 33 and 47. By this arrangement theimproved device is readily adapted to all'the various sizes and weightsof doors in common use without structural change either in the doors orthe apparatus.

The member L5 may be constructed in the form shown in Fig. 6 with alateral offset and thus adapt the device to doors which are lower thanthe top of the casing, and thus obviate the necessity for employing aspacing block to support the frame 36.

The casing 36 is provided with a closure 56 slidably connected thereto,so that access may be readily had to the interior of the easing toadjust the spring 38 through the medium of the adjusting nut 40.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a door closer, stationary abutments carried respectively by a doorand a door frame, a lever pivotally supported adjacent to each of saidabutments, a member movably coupling said levers, a closing spring and achecking spring bearing against one of said abutments, means forcoupling said closing spring and checking spring respectively to one ofsaid levers at opposite sides of its pivot, another closing springbearing against the other abutment, and means for coupling said lastmentioned closing spring to the other lever at one side of its pivot.

2. In a door closer, stationary abutment-s carried rgspectively by adoor and a door frame, a lever pivotally supported adjacent to each ofsaid abutments, a member movably coupling said levers, a governor springconnecting one of said levers with said coupling member, a closingspring and a check ing spring bearing against one of said abutments,means for coupling said closing spring and checking spring respectivelyto one of said levers at opposite sides of its pivot, another closingspring bearing against the other abutment, and means for coupling saidlast mentioned closing spring to the other lever at one side of itspivot.

3. In a door closer, stationary abutments carried respectively by a doorand a door frame, a lever pivotally supported adjacent to each of saidabutments, a member movably coupling said levers, a closing springbearing against one of said abutments, means for coupling said closingspring to one of said levers at one side of its pivot, another closingspring bearing against the other abutment, and means for coupling saidlast mentioned closing spring to the other lever at one side of itspivot.

at. In a door closer, stationary abutments carried respectively by adoor and a door frame, a lever pivotally supported adjacent to each ofsaid abutments, a member movably coupling said levers, a closing springbearing against one of said abutments, means for coupling said closingspring to one of said levers at one side of itspivot, another closingspring bearing against the other abutment, means for coupling said lastmentioned closing spring to the other lever at one side of its pivot,and a governor spring connecting said coupling member and one of saidlevers.

5. In a door closer, casings adapted to be connected respectively to adoor and a door frame and each including an abutment, a closing springand a checking spring bearing against the abutment of one of saidcasings, a lever pivotally supported and provided with bearings spacedapart, connecting means between said bearings and said closing springand checking spring, another closing spring bearing against the abutmentof the other casing, another lever connected to said last-mentionedclosing spring, a segmental member pivotally supported and pro videdwith a plurality of concentrically arranged apertures, pins detachablyconnecting said levers to the apertures of the segment and a governorspring connecting said seg mental members and one of said levers.

6. In a door closer, casings adapted to be connected respectively to adoor and a door frame and each including an abutment, a closing springand a checking spring bearing against the abutment of one of saidcasings, pull rods extending respectively through said springs andhaving adjusting nuts bearing against said springs thereon, a leverpivotally supported and provided with bearings spaced apart, connectingmeans between said bearings and said pull rods, another closing springbearing against the abutment of the other casing, a pull rod extendingthrough said last-mentioned spring and carrying an adjusting nut bearingagainst the spring, another lever connected to said last-mentioned pullrod, a segmental member pivotally supported and provided with aplurality of concentrically arranged apertures, and pins detachablyconnecting said levers to the apertures of the segment.

7. In a door closer, casings adapted to be connected respectively to adoor and a door frame and each including an abutment, a closing springand a checking spring bearing agalnst the abutment of one of saidcasings, a lever pivotally supported and provided at one end withbearings spaced apart and with a plurality of apertures spaced apart atthe other end, connecting means between said bearings and said closingspring and checking spring, another closing spring bearing against theabutment of the other casing, another lever connecting at one end to thesaid last-mentioned closing spring, a segmental member pivotallysupported and provided with a plurality of concentrically arrangeapertures, and pins detachably connecting the apertures of said leversto the apertures of the segments.

8. In a door closer, a lever pivoted to a door frame, a closing springconnected to the lever at one side of its pivot, a checking springconnected to the lever at the other side of its pivot, another leverpivoted to a door and movable therewith, and a cou- 5 plingmemberuniting said levers.

9. In a door closer, a lever pivoted to a door frame, a closing springconnected to the lever at one side of its pivot, a checking springconnected to the lever at the other 10 side of its pivot, another leverpivoted to a door and movable therewith, a coupling member uniting saidlevers, and a governor spring connecting said coupling member and one ofsaid levers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of twoowitnesses.

EDWVARD W. GROGAN. [n s. l/Vitnesses:

GEO. B. GRoeAN, O. R. DORSEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

